GEORGE TOWN – Bersatu Bertam assemblyman Khaliq Mehtab Mohd Ishaq said he would prefer if all Malay parties can be united to face the next general election despite the apparent move by Umno to sever political cooperation with his party.
He said all Malay parties should set aside their political affiliations and unite for the sake of religion, race and country.
“There is nothing to lose if we continue to work together and unite. However, this is just my personal stance. The party’s official decision will be determined by the top leadership later,” he told The Vibes.
Khaliq was responding to reports that 12 of the 13 Penang Umno divisions prefer to forsake Bersatu because it sidelined Umno in the Perikatan Nasional federal government.
Penang Bersatu is not surprised by the decision of Umno to stop cooperating with them, said its state chairman Datuk Shabudin Yahaya.
Shabudin said the issue has been raised by Umno since months ago on the grounds of dissatisfaction because the members thought they were not getting enough.
“So, to meet their needs, they can work on their own, including rejecting Bersatu and cooperating with any other party that can meet their demands,” he told The Vibes.
Last Sunday, Penang Umno was reported as saying that it will not tolerate and cooperate with Bersatu in the next general election.
Chairman Datuk Musa Sheikh Fadzir said the decision was made through a meeting of divisional representatives in the state, and the majority of the 13 divisions here had made a similar decision.
To this, Shabudin said that Umno’s position has been erratic on whether it wants to continue cooperating with PAS, go solo, or join other parties that were previously considered hostile.
He believes that Umno’s strength is declining as most of its members have left the party or taken a neutral stand in the current political situation.
“Therefore, victory in the election depends on perception. How could Umno lose in the last (general) election, despite having three million members? This is why Umno needs to be careful and act according to wisdom, not emotions.”
Shabudin said that Bersatu will establish friendly relations with fellow political parties that support the leadership of Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin as it benefits the country and the people. – The Vibes, January 5, 2021
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